The Equestrian sun rose over Canterlot castle on another perfect day, morning glories blossoming from the massive flowerpots that lined the royal balcony, each one carefully tended by Celestia's hooves, all of them filled with fertile soil and just the right amount of love to coax the most beautiful blooms from them that would fill the air with their glorious scent, enriching all those that passed by them as they opened their petals to the rising star to embrace it with their bright colors, stunning and mesmerizing all who gazed upon them with their beauty, whether with a magical sense, or with mundane eyes, none could resist their appeal.
And it was this place that Crescent was visiting alongside their solar creator. "Wow! I didn't know these were so big!" She held up her tiny hooves and touched the edge of one blossom that was at least four times larger than she was, coming close to dwarfing Celestia, who was a proper alicorn in size.
Celestia brushed past her, stepping up to the edge of the balcony. "Some get quite large, and others, not so much." She directed her snout towards a few that were entirely regular sized, as flowers went. "They all deserve love and attention." A thought struck her. "Crescent, little one. Being made of a dream, and I mean this in no disrespect, but will you grow, or is the form I see now the one you are likely to keep?"
Crescent considered the question a moment before reaching a conclusion, leaning on Celestia's left hoof as she considered her answer. "I'm not sure? If I grow up like a normal pony, would that be good?"
"An even better question." Celestia touched her snout to the top of Crescent's head. "I think you'll be a wonderful little pony whether you were to grow or not. It was simply a passing thought, a flight of fancy. You can change, from what I've heard. You were once an tormenting force upon my sister, with one very specific goal."
Crescent cringed at the reminder of her darker days. "I wouldn't do that again!"
"I am not saying you would." She lifted Crescent in her magic, holding her up towards one of the larger flowers to inspect it from a new angle. "But it proves you can change, quite a bit. You weren't nearly so adorable back then, I hear." She chuckled gently at the idea.
Crescent smiled at the words, grinning with delight at the statement. "I'm glad. I like who I am now."
Celestia kissed her cheek gently. "So do I." She turned an ear towards a guard rushing in. "But, such peaceful times can only stretch so long. I must see to the needs of my ponies." She lowered Crescent to the ground carefully. "Please understand that I have duties to attend to."
Crescent took her aunt's place at the balcony as Celestia stepped away from the edge and started for the door, waving over her shoulder, saying goodbye with no words as she watched the flowers blooming in the rising light of the day, taking in the smell and taste of that fresh morning air as she watched a flock of birds, some pegasus ponies in disguise, arrive and alight on a nearby tree, their own songs joining the harmony of nature around them as they welcomed the dawn of a new day with cheery chirps and calls that danced on the wind, along with a gentle breeze that swirled through the castle grounds.
She clapped gently at the sights with a dreamy smile on her face. As fun as it had been to chase after specific ponies, just taking in the sights she could see had a charm of its own. Her eyes turned down across Canterlot, watching the busy city below her come alive with the changing day, each pony going about their own lives, building a world for themselves as she looked out at them, her own mind mulling over things, trying to make sense of things in a way that only her strange, odd, little mind could.
She spotted somepony waving up at her. She leaned forward and peered to get a better look at the tiny speck. Oh, it was one of the foals she had pulled off the street! Crescent waved joyously at the distant foal and blew them a kiss, wondering what kind of adventure they would get up to next time. Her mind was filled with questions, things she wanted to know more about, little details that eluded her, all sorts of things that needed further consideration as she set them aside for later, knowing there was always more to explore and discover.
No. No. That was a fine day for soaking it all in. She gently sank to her belly, tail swaying as she surveyed Canterlot, home to so many dreams, big and small. "I think I could stay here a while."
She hummed gently as she shut her eyes, tail swishing through the air as she soaked up the warmth of the morning sun on her fur, welcoming its rays to illuminate her form with a gentle cooing in her throat, relishing the feel of its presence across her skin. She leaned her head forward and tapped her horn against the edge of the balcony, gazing out at Canterlot beyond.
The city was sprawling, endless, stretching all around her, large enough that she could imagine living there for the rest of her life and never run out of things to find and do. How ponies were satisfied in smaller towns, she didn't entirely understand. Ponyville had seemed a nice place, but so much smaller, with few things and ponies to select from on any given day. The other town she had visited, was it called Equine's Bell? Equestria Bell? Whatever the name, that had been small enough that it wouldn't take a lifetime to explore it all either.
There was just something about Canterlot, about this vantage point from Celestia's balcony, that caused her eyes to widen and her ears to flatten with a shock of amazement as she gazed out across it, hoof reaching forward towards it without even thinking about what she was doing.
She leaned a little too far, but her plummet was broken with flaps of her small wings, turning into a coasting down to the ground floor as she laughed at her own silliness. Her hooves clattered on the tiles of the courtyard, drawing attention from ponies nearby, who stopped in their tracks to see what the source was. Their attentions slid on when they saw it was Crescent, except one, who came towards her with purpose.
Crescent met that pony, offering a little smile as she said, "Good morning!" She didn't know who that was, but she looked nice.
The older mare that approached seemed uncertain herself, so she took a moment before speaking, as if unsure if she was allowed to speak to Crescent. "Your highness." She dipped her head.
Crescent colored. Anypony calling her highness felt off, her being so much smaller than most. "Um, how can I help? Oh, I'm Crescent Moon." She held out a hoof.
The older mare wasn't sure what to make of that. "Of course you are, your highness. Please forgive me, I don't know what I was thinking. I'm Mab." She glanced about as if hoping someone else would appear to guide her in the proper etiquette for dealing with this small filly, one who held such lofty position, and yet appeared so confused by the power she wielded. "You might be able to assist me, if you've the time, your highness."
Crescent rocked on her hooves, antsy as she bounced, not quite wanting to leave, but also wanting to see more of Canterlot. "Yes! Let's see if I can help!" She touched Mab's hoof with her own, smiling at the older mare. "This way?"
Mab lowered her head to make it easier for Crescent to take the lead, which the little filly did, bringing them to a closed door, the scent of books drifting from within. Mab's eyes sparkled as they entered the library. Not one of the larger ones, but that castle had more than a few. "How did you know?"
Crescent giggled with delight as she scampered through the shelves, eyes drinking in all the titles she could read. "I didn't! I just wanted to look." She found a thick tome, a history of Canterlot and pulled it down to bring to Mab. "This is for you?"
Mab accepted the tome in her magic's glow. "Your highness, this is one reason you are a highness." She dipped her head as she drew the book close. "This is exactly the book I wanted. It has a secret few others speak of. What will you accept as thanks for your service?"
Crescent pressed her hooves to her muzzle with delight, wings fluttering with joy. "A hug!"
Mab dipped her head, confused but willing to go along with that idea. She drew Crescent in, hugging the adorable, but powerful, little filly. "I remain your eager subject. Now, if I may, I would read this book you've brought me."
Crescent scampered away from Mab, wagging her tail. "I hope you find what you need."
She wound her way out of the library, content to see what other mischief she could find that day. Canterlot was just so big, she had so much exploring to do, so many nooks and crannies she hadn't gotten to yet. She couldn't decide what to do first, there were so many options available, that it felt as if the decision itself was paralyzing her with indecision.
Her little fall had taken her down to the ground floor. Perhaps that was a hint. A prompt of sorts. She decided she wouldn't go back up, at least that day. She trotted instead through the hallways, taking in the art that Celestia had decorated them with. Paintings, statues, ancient pottery from long lost times, she knew she could spend a lifetime admiring each and every one of them.
The carpet was soft under her hooves, silky smooth and free of dust, clean enough to eat off of.
She saw a maid doing her part to keep it clean, dusting one of the stained glass windows, and decided to wander towards her. "You do a great job! Thank you!"
The maid smiled, though seemed nervous as she pulled back from the window. "Your highness, such words are beyond me. I simply do my part."
Crescent tilted her head to the side, lifting a hoof up with a wiggle of her tail as she stared at the image in the glass, one of Celestia and Luna together, two alicorns sitting proudly beside each other on their thrones. "She did that, I think. I don't think she gets credit for it." She pointed at the stained glass, eyes on the pony represented there, as it spoke to her, gave her a little peek into another memory.
The maid paused her dusting entirely. "It's a lovely picture. That's why I do my best to keep it clean, ma'am."
Crescent nodded with delight, smiling at the maid. "I'm Crescent!" She held out a hoof. "May I know your name?"
"Morning Glory." She shifted about, keeping the duster held tight in her magic. "I've heard of you, Crescent, daughter of Luna." She glanced away and back. "May I ask a personal question? Are you from Princess Luna's womb? That seems like something we should know."
Crescent tipped her head the other way. "Her what?"
"Her belly, her stomach." Morning Glory motioned with her hoof. "This shape here."
Crescent colored even as she burst into soft giggles. "Oh! No. I came from her head." She tapped at her own little noggin. "Wrong side."
Morning Glory squinted. "I see."
"Oh!" Crescent hopped from hoof to hoof. "Did you need something from me? I can help! What's the problem?"
Morning Glory gathered her thoughts before answering, seeming uncertain as to how to approach this situation. "Yes, your highness, there is something that has come up recently, and while I've no reason to suspect you, it is my duty to bring it up." She coughed into a hoof gently. "Ma'am, a specific kind of cookie has been vanishing from the kitchen. Would you know anything about that?"
Crescent sank to her haunches, frowning with serious thought. "There's only one pony in this castle that comes to mind. She likes sweet things, and nopony would ever try to stop her, even if they did see her. They probably would keep it a secret, if she looked like she didn't want them to know." Her hoof went to her chin as she considered the situation. "She's my auntie, and I know she'd eat a special cookie."
Morning Glory squinted at that. "The Princess wouldn't dare break her diet for cookies. It's absurd."
Crescent stamped a hoof with finality. "They're her favorite though. If you make one with extra love, she'll notice." She grabbed Morning Glory's hoof with her own. "And don't say anything about me, okay? I'm keeping it a secret. It's our secret. This time it was me."
Morning Glory blinked. "You are taking the blame?"
"Yes."
Morning Glory peered at the little royal filly. "But you just told me it wasn't you." She sighed with a little laugh. "In either event, if it was Celestia, there's no reason for alarm. This castle and everything in it belongs to her. If she wants a cookie, it is our duty simply to make another. I was simply worried a little filly might have been the one reaching."